Found Deceased NI - Noah Donohoe, 14, North Belfast, 21 June 2020

[Alyce]

As we begin the sixth full day of searching ,vital questions remain unanswered.

What was the 14-year-old, who hails from the south of the city, doing in that part of north Belfast?

Was he on his way to meet someone and, if so, who?
Why did he have a laptop with him, when he already had a phone?
And, more generally, how can anyone disappear without a trace, let alone a young boy who was supposedly naked on a bicycle?

As Sean McCarry, head of operations at the Community Rescue Service, which has been assisting the PSNI in the search for Noah, told me on Friday: "We are expanding our search slowly and methodically to wider areas, although we also keep looking behind. We're bearing in mind that people can come into an area that has already been searched."

His mother Fiona expected him, her only child, back later that evening



Noah Donohoe search: Vital questions on disappearance are still unanswered

 

[Deleted member 238128]

Almost a week in...so much unanswered. I’m trusting that the PSNI are doing a good job but I do have so many questions:

- why hasn’t the public been shown CCTV of Noah on his journey across the city to jog memories - they must have a ton of footage.

- why hasn’t an appeal/ description of man exiting the alleyway been put forward, asking him to come forward to assist or be eliminated from enquiries?

- why no checkpoints in the area stopping motorists, asking if they were journeying on the evening Noah went missing, did they see anything?

- is PSNI’s description that Noah “abandoned” his clothes intentional and if so do they mean that they know he removed his own clothes or that the clothes were seen in the street and Noah was seen fleeing/ walking/ cycling away?

 

[Ironside]

The cctv may be quite blurry and not in any way useful for jogging memories. Plus if he was naked it wouldn’t be very dignified to broadcast it.

Given how many well meaning but untrained searchers were turning congesting the area checkpoints would have been messy and would have caused even more access delays for the police and trained searchers.

 

[Rosiebones]

If you're replying to me, I was thinking more along the lines of the timeline being too tight to meet up with someone and do drugs.

But as there's nothing to suggest drugs were involved I'm going to step away from this angle.

I am sorry that my questions about drugs was offensive, I didn't mean to imply that he took drugs, I was just trying to figure out what would make a 14 year old boy take off all his clothes and ride his bicycle away. I have worked with head injured children all my professional life and I have never seen that behavior so quickly after a possible head injury. It is seen when a child is on the mend, first coming out of a coma, being agitated and disoriented etc. He was described as riding away naked, I don't think he would lose all his clothes in a struggle maybe his shirt or jacket, but his underwear too?
I guess I didn't do such a good job separating my questions from the child himself and I apologize.

 

[Legally Bland]

I am sorry that my questions about drugs was offensive, I didn't mean to imply that he took drugs, I was just trying to figure out what would make a 14 year old boy take off all his clothes and ride his bicycle away. I have worked with head injured children all my professional life and I have never seen that behavior so quickly after a possible head injury. It is seen when a child is on the mend, first coming out of a coma, being agitated and disoriented etc. He was described as riding away naked, I don't think he would lose all his clothes in a struggle maybe his shirt or jacket, but his underwear too?
I guess I didn't do such a good job separating my questions from the child himself and I apologize.

I didn't think your post was offensive and I appreciate why you're trying to understand the undressing.

 

[Deleted member 238128]

The cctv may be quite blurry and not in any way useful for jogging memories. Plus if he was naked it wouldn’t be very dignified to broadcast it.

Given how many well meaning but untrained searchers were turning congesting the area checkpoints would have been messy and would have caused even more access delays for the police and trained searchers.

Were the searchers blocking the Shore Road so that cars couldn’t get down it? I wasn’t aware of that. I’m sure the Ormeau and York Road/ York Street/ North Queen Street junctions were clear this week though - my dad travels daily through them to work and back. I didn’t realise it had gotten that out of control Shore Road direction. I’m sure they have some clear footage of Noah journeying across town - the area is packed with businesses, private properties and then there’s the bus and car dashcam footage. I feel certain they would have at least one clear frame that could jog a memory. Surely it’s important to know if Noah’s journey up until the point he fell off his bike was routine or if he spoke to or encountered anyone along the way? My understanding is Noah was only naked in the Northwood area where he abandoned his clothes, not on his journey to the area. I wouldn’t expect large amounts of CCTV showing him naked. Re/ the man exiting the alley, police often release blurry CCTV if it is the only piece of info they have to identify someone. Just my opinion.

 

[HayLouise]

**UPDATE**

Searches resume here this morning in north Belfast as we now enter day 6 of the search for missing teenager Noah Donohoe. Behind the scenes, police experts are examining the laptop recovered for any potential leads. @BelTel


Noah Donohoe: Recovered laptop is 'significant' to search for Belfast schoolboy, say police



https://twitter.com/kscott_94/status/1276809859460141056?s=21

 

[Spyder84]

I think sharing any CCTV of him when he was fully clothed will distract people's attention from the fact that he took off some of those clothes and discarded them and could be now wearing different clothes, the police did ask early on to report any items of clothing missing from washing lines. In terms of a head injury and taking off his clothes, I strongly suspect there had been a medical emergency causing him to fall from the bike in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 238128]

I am sorry that my questions about drugs was offensive, I didn't mean to imply that he took drugs, I was just trying to figure out what would make a 14 year old boy take off all his clothes and ride his bicycle away. I have worked with head injured children all my professional life and I have never seen that behavior so quickly after a possible head injury. It is seen when a child is on the mend, first coming out of a coma, being agitated and disoriented etc. He was described as riding away naked, I don't think he would lose all his clothes in a struggle maybe his shirt or jacket, but his underwear too?
I guess I didn't do such a good job separating my questions from the child himself and I apologize.

I get what you are saying Rosie and you have a unique perspective in the line of work you are in. It’s good to have your thoughts. This is also why I think Noah’s entire journey across the city is important, not just the part where he falls off the bike or the part where an eye witness sees him naked. Did anything happen to alter his behaviour or cause the fall, did the way he was cycling or anything about his demeanour change after the fall, did anyone see him stop along the shore road and hold his head or make a phone call? Did he look panicked at any point or like he was on a relaxed cycling trip. Anyone see him talk to anyone, stop at a shop, check his watch, take off his hoody, look behind him, drive erratically etc etc.

 

[Deleted member 238128]

I think sharing any CCTV of him when he was fully clothed will distract people's attention from the fact that he took off some of those clothes and discarded them and could be now wearing different clothes, the police did ask early on to report any items of clothing missing from washing lines. In terms of a head injury and taking off his clothes, I strongly suspect there had been a medical emergency causing him to fall from the bike in the first place.

I don’t think I’m making myself clear Spyder. I’m interested in jogging the memory of people who may have seen him during his fully clothed, fairly substantial journey across the city, which lead up to events.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I am sorry that my questions about drugs was offensive, I didn't mean to imply that he took drugs, I was just trying to figure out what would make a 14 year old boy take off all his clothes and ride his bicycle away. I have worked with head injured children all my professional life and I have never seen that behavior so quickly after a possible head injury. It is seen when a child is on the mend, first coming out of a coma, being agitated and disoriented etc. He was described as riding away naked, I don't think he would lose all his clothes in a struggle maybe his shirt or jacket, but his underwear too?
I guess I didn't do such a good job separating my questions from the child himself and I apologize.

Rosie just to be clear, I didnt think you were offensive either.

 

[NornIron]

Why does Noah's mum say 'half-naked boy' in her appeal? Has it ever been 100% confirmed he was totally naked? Because if he was still wearing shorts and underwear people may not have noticed him.
Also has it been said if the witness who saw him naked noticed if he was still carrying his backpack?

 

[Deleted member 238128]

'Significant' operation ongoing in select areas in search for Noah Donohoe

 

[HayLouise]

**UPDATE**

Rescue teams are being briefed on their locations of search for today. Sean’s team continue to work around the clock to locate Noah Donohoe @BelTel



https://twitter.com/kscott_94/status/1276847005902438403?s=21

 

[Whometoo]

I don’t think I’m making myself clear Spyder. I’m interested in jogging the memory of people who may have seen him during his fully clothed, fairly substantial journey across the city, which lead up to events.

I think that would be helpful. I have an image in my head of what he looked like on his bike but that image didn't involve a large hiking style backpack. I was thinking a fairly small less noticeable one. Also is his hair longer than pics circulating due to lockdown or is his head shaved like many kids due to home hair cutting. A tidy school uniform pic can be very different. Seeing stills or a short video of him on cctv might help others identify him on their own dashcam footage.

 

[Ironside]

I’ve noticed way more teens than normal out on bikes recently due to the lockdown, they’ve really got nothing else to do with themselves as everything is closed. The PSNI say they don’t know why he entered that area of Belfast - I think it could be as simple as he was just cycling about due to boredom.

 

[Alyce]

I agree Stella - some cctv would be helpful - obviously at the point when he was still wearing clothes. It would at least give ( hopefully ) a good clear image of Noah and his bike and backpack and could jog peoples' memories.

 

[Deleted member 238128]

I think that would be helpful. I have an image in my head of what he looked like on his bike but that image didn't involve a large hiking style backpack. I was thinking a fairly small less noticeable one. Also is his hair longer than pics circulating due to lockdown or is his head shaved like many kids due to home hair cutting. A tidy school uniform pic can be very different. Seeing stills or a short video of him on cctv might help others identify him on their own dashcam footage.

I’m thinking of other cases were someone’s movements, allbeit blurry were caught on camera, but cctv was released and reconstructions were done. Alice Gross, Corrie McKeague...memories were jogged. People also spotted others in the footage crossing paths with victims on their journeys and were able to identify them or indeed identify themselves.

 

[Alyce]

I think that would be helpful. I have an image in my head of what he looked like on his bike but that image didn't involve a large hiking style backpack. I was thinking a fairly small less noticeable one. Also is his hair longer than pics circulating due to lockdown or is his head shaved like many kids due to home hair cutting. A tidy school uniform pic can be very different. Seeing stills or a short video of him on cctv might help others identify him on their own dashcam footage.

Yes definitely. A good clear image of how Noah looked on that evening would be far better than the standard school photo, which so often doesn't look too much like the person in everyday life.

 

[Spyder84]

I don’t think I’m making myself clear Spyder. I’m interested in jogging the memory of people who may have seen him during his fully clothed, fairly substantial journey across the city, which lead up to events.

My opinion was based on the thought process of the police, maybe at this stage they want to keep it in people's mind's that he could be wearing anything, BUT I've just read he also discarded his shoes and there haven't been any sightings so I think the police are thinking along the lines that he is sheltering somewhere and are keeping their focus on finding out where he went and what happened after the last sighting to avoid getting too bogged down in intel' which they feel might not be relevant - Although it does sound as if they are too focused on the idea he is sheltering somewhere and it's getting to a point where they might need to explore other possibilities and start sharing that footage

What I do find strange is that people have not been actively asked to search their camper vans/caravans, there was a case very recently of a lady who was certain her camper van was secure but nether the less she discovered someone had been living in it for weeks... It might be the obvious thing to do for lots of local people but maybe not if they think they are certain their camper vans are secure..